Your Life Improved With The Battery-Powered Car
With the rising price of gasoline and concerns over greenhouse gases, you may be thinking your next car should be electric, or at the very least hybrid.
But unless you have the means to buy one of the more expensive models, there are disadvantages to most models that you’ll want to consider long before visiting a dealership.
Hybrid vehicles combine electrical and gasoline power sources, either alternating between the two or using gas to generate power for the other. Electric cars run on a miles per charge, meaning you have to closely consider how much you’re going to drive between stops before choosing that option.
If you’re looking at either option, the biggest hurdle to clear will be price. Even the best known models, such as the Toyota Prius, carry a price tag of $22,000 and only up gas mileage to 50 mph, meaning you’ll need several years to recover your investment compared to a cheaper fuel-efficient gas model. The other brands tell the same story, most of them worse because they end up costing more and getting even less mileage.
The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan only get 39 miles per gallon and cost over $27,000, meaning they’re not really a good choice, especially when you look at options such as a gas powered Mini Cooper that gets 36 miles per gallon and starts at only $19,800.
If you are considering an electric model do not expect them to be cheaper as they actually grow in price. Most still in their production stages they start at $40,000 the cheapest and are expected to be released this year hopefully. A backup generator which runs on gas actually charges the Chevrolet Volt and with it’s electric power it can run for up to 40 miles. Going for up to 100 miles on one charge the Nissan Leaf goes for around the same price but has no backup generator. For $57,000 and available next year the Tesla Model S sedan will make it for 300 miles in between charges which is amazing. If you want to go electric, you’ll have to plan for recharging and perhaps shorter drives than you might be accustomed to taking.
Hybrid and electric cars have potential disadvantages that extend beyond their up front cost as well. A big problem is not having enough mechanics properly trained to service and repair your hybrid or electric car. If you’re willing to travel some distance to get the vehicle you want, you may also have to consider the need to get the car back to that same dealership if there are any problems. Also, if you’re ever in an accident in one of these vehicles, the power source can pose a risk to rescuers and potentially to you.
In time the problems and issues surrounding purchasing and keeping a hybrid or electric car will be solved but for now I would wait and just watch the technology advance. Also by waiting we can see that demand for the vehicles can only increase and this will bring down prices making it more profitable to hold out for a while.
Our favorite site for pink flash drives.
Tags: automotive, How to invest money, money, vehicles